Brands are basically a promise. They tell consumers what quality to expect from a【C1】______and show off its personality. Firms invest a lot on the image of their brands to【C2】______sales and loyalty. But measuring their value is hard. Millward Brown, a market-research company, is one of several that takes a stab at it. It has just published its annual ranking of the world"s "most【C3】______" brands based on consumers"【C4】______and the performance of the companies that own them. The top 100 are collectively worth $2.6 trillion, the firm【C5】______Apple remains the world"s most【C6】______brand, worth $185 billion,【C7】______the head of three major technology companies. However, it may have been a【C8】______year for Apple in many respects: rivals are gaining share of the smartphone market;【C9】______and margins have been【C10】______. And Apple hasn"t unveiled a major new product since last October.【C11】______. none of the three major technology companies has increased much in value since last year perhaps because they have been refining their products【C12】______being startlingly innovative. Microsoft, which tried to be startling by【C13】______a radical new operating system, has seen its brand value fall. Apple"s big rival, Samsung, jumped 25 places, partly by out-innovating Apple and partly by【C14】______its advertising expenditure by $1.6 billion. Visa was one of the main brand sponsors for the 2012 Olympic games in London. But many of the big gainers【C15】______growth in emerging markets. That helps explain the rise in the value of beer brands like Brazil"s Brahma, which is worth 61% more than last year. Ten-cent, an internet services company, benefited from being innovative and Chinese.【C16】______sales slowed in Europe, Zara, a high-street fashion retailer introduced online shopping for customers in China Luxury【C17】______companies tend their brands even more carefully than most. Gucci, whose brand value increased by almost 50%, has invested in technology to【C18】______its online and mobile presence. The biggest riser this year,【C19】______. is Prada, whose brand value【C20】______63% as it increased sales in both old markets and new. But even in Western Europe its most enthusiastic customers were Asian tourists.